


you're the only one who knows, you slow it down

by louiseparker



Series: Ouran Tumblr Cross-Posts [1]
Category: Ouran High School Host Club - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, actually no I'm not, by the fray, i'm sorry it had to be this way, it's a side of tamaki we don't see often, look after you, more in touch with his emotions, ok so this is kind of sad, promise they won't all be like this !!!, title from
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-01
Updated: 2016-04-01
Packaged: 2018-05-30 10:55:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6420982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/louiseparker/pseuds/louiseparker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The one where Tamaki has a particularly rough day, and Haruhi is there to comfort him, the best way she can.</p>
            </blockquote>





	you're the only one who knows, you slow it down

**Author's Note:**

> hi!!!!!!!!!! this is my first ouran fic//one shot!!! this work is going to be part of a series of tumblr cross-posts I'm writing, (hostclubbed,) so if you enjoy this one, be on the lookout for more.

“Senpai?” Tamaki’s head lifted from the black and white keys of the piano in Music Room #3.

He looked surprised to see her, if not maybe a little… _relieved_?

A steady beat hammered down on the roof above them, streams of rainwater streaking the windows. Today’s forecast said there was a _thirty_ percent chance of rain. So it took Haruhi very much by surprise when the last bell of the school day rang out, and she walked out into what seemed to be a torrential downpour.

Which is why she found herself in Music Room #3 on this Friday afternoon, in hopes that it would be empty; so she could study a bit while she waited for the rain to let up. There was also no chance she would ever put herself in the position of possibly being caught in a thunderstorm.

But the room was not empty, and she had a feeling she wasn’t going to get any studying done.

Haruhi braced herself for the standard greeting from her Senpai; the overexcited eyes and excessive jumping that she’d forced herself to be accustomed to. It caught Haruhi off guard when Tamaki gave her a sad excuse of a small smile, and a little finger wave.

“Oh, _Haruhi_. Hi,”

She set her bag down on the nearest plush couch, and made her way over to the piano where Tamaki sat. She noticed only then that his Ouran blazer was slung over the piano, and he was only in his white button down, his necktie loosened. His hair was slightly disheveled, and Haruhi could tell within a second that something was not right. She wondered to herself when the last time was that she’d seen Tamaki looking this informal, if she’d _ever_ seen him looking this casually.

His head hung low, blonde fringe blocking Haruhi’s view of his eyes. She took the open space beside him on the piano bench. There was a quiet understanding that Tamaki wasn’t up for conversation, so Haruhi opted for watching the rain roll down the windows. Heavy, consistent. It seemed to be coming down generously at this point, with no signs of letting up. Haruhi wondered if she’d end up having to walk home in the rain after all.

The silence was shattered when Tamaki’s fingers brushed the piano. Haruhi jumped from her thoughts, as she watched him stroke them hesitantly at first, as if he wasn’t completely sure he wanted to play. His brow creased, teeth tugging gently at his lower lip.

In the next few seconds, Haruhi felt her heart rabbiting in her chest while she witnessed Tamaki truly lose himself in the music, releasing one of the most heartbreaking tunes Haruhi had ever heard. The base notes seemed to chase the melody around in the air, a race that neither would win. Tamaki’s chest heaved with the effort he put into it, hands racing across the keys. Haruhi was having trouble keeping up, it seemed that his fingers barely brushed one key before it was on to another.

The span of his hands seemed to reach so far, and it slipped into Haruhi’s mind just how disciplined one would need to be in order to play piano this skillfully. It looked so simple, effortless even, when he played. She knew that was far from the truth.

The song’s tempo slowed significantly, until the notes were few and far apart. As Tamaki’s fingers hit the last chord, Haruhi couldn’t help but notice her Senpai’s hand shaking. They sat in silence for what seemed like forever, before he finally spoke.

“It’s her birthday.” His voice shook almost as much as his hands. “It’s her birthday, and I don’t even know where she is. I don’t know what number to call, I wouldn’t even know where to look,”

Haruhi didn’t realize she had been holding her breath until she exhaled so strongly it made her dizzy. She’d heard the story of Tamaki’s mother from Kyoya-Senpai, but should she let him know that she had?

“My mother,” Tamaki whispered. “ _Beautiful_. Absolute. She was completely graceful in everything she did.” A ghost of a smile passed over Tamaki’s lips. As if a memory made him react before he could realize. It dawned upon Haruhi how much she wished she knew what he was thinking about in that moment.

“My own mother,” he whimpered, “The woman who _raised me, and I have no idea where she could be.”_

Haruhi let out a breath, but stayed silent. Her limbs felt heavy. It felt like there was nothing to say, nothing that could reassure him. Comfort him. Smooth him. Nothing she could say would bring his mother back to him.

_Haruhi knew the feeling well._

She dared to look up, unsurprisingly noticing the tears rolling down his face and onto the folded hands in his lap.

“She loved it when I played for her. That’s why I’m here,” he sniffed, wiping at his cheeks with the backs of his hands. “I know you were wondering.”

“I know there isn’t anything I can say that will make it better, Senpai,” Haruhi’s mouth felt dry, like it was full of cotton, “But I know how you feel. I miss my mother too. You aren’t alone.”

At her words, Tamaki finally looked up, as if what she said had struck something in him. Their eyes met, and Haruhi examined her Senpai’s face; the corners around his eyes were tinged pink, the tip of his nose the same color.

“You _aren’t_ alone,” Haruhi persisted. Tamaki’s cheeks became moister as more tears trailed down them.

Tamaki grabbed Haruhi’s hand then, and laced his fingers through hers. He squeezed as though she were his lifeline, the only thing keeping him afloat. And if he rested his head on her shoulder and cried while the rain droned on outside, _nobody needed to know._

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Like I said in the beginning, there will be more fics on the way, and not all of them will be like this, touchy sad-sad. Sorry. If you have any requests, my box is totally open and I'm up for anything.


End file.
